Old4New Lifejacket Upgrade coming to Whitianga

Following five successful years, Coastguard New Zealand’s Old4New Lifejacket Upgrade will once again be motivating Kiwis to check and upgrade their most important piece of boating safety equipment.

From 30 November 2019 to 2 February 2020, boaties will have the opportunity to bring their old, damaged or ill-fitting lifejackets to one of 63 Old4New locations and upgrade them for brand new, heavily discounted Hutchwilco models.

This year, the Old4New van, kindly provided by the Giltrap Group, will reach new locations including Lake Waikaremoana, Kinloch and Turangi, as well as returning to boating hot spots and community hubs in the far north.

Since its introduction, Old4New has greatly assisted Coastguard in its mission of “Saving Lives at Sea.” Over 13,500 old lifejackets have been upgraded through the initiative, meaning thousands of Kiwis are now safer on the water.

This is a number, Old4New community ambassador, Sue Tucker, is keen to increase over the 2019/2020 summer season.

“We continue to see lifejackets in all shapes and sizes, some even 50 years old, and what a lot of them have in common is that in an emergency they won’t keep you safe,” says Sue. “We need to be out in the community reminding Kiwis that lifejackets don’t last a lifetime.”

Over time, exposure to the elements and general wear and tear, heavily affect a lifejacket’s ability to keep you afloat. Even if an old lifejacket looks good to the eye, there is a chance that its effectiveness has reduced with time.

“Lifejackets, including inflatable versions, need to be checked each year to make sure they are in a good condition,” says Sue. “If you know your lifejacket is no good, or if you just want some peace of mind, bring it to the Old4New van to get it checked.

“The motivator behind what we do, is simple. We want to ensure Kiwis return home to their loved ones after a day out on the water. That starts by taking and wearing a fit-for-purpose lifejacket, every time.”

If you can’t make it to one of the Old4New van locations, retailer Boating and Outdoors will once again be offering the Old4New Lifejacket Upgrade instore at select locations around the country, including at Mercury Bay Marine, the Boating and Outdoors location in Whitianga

The Old4New Lifejacket Upgrade would not be possible without the generous support from key sponsors Maritime New Zealand, Hutchwilco, Giltrap Volkswagen and Boating and Outdoors.

The Old4new van will be at Mercury Bay Marine in Moewai Road, Whitianga on Friday 27 December from 2:00pm to 5:00pm.

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The Mercury Bay Informer is a highly popular community newspaper, based in Whitianga. The paper is distributed throughout the Coromandel Peninsula, coast to coast from Thames to north of Colville.